"I've been saying for years that Linux was well along on its way from being the tech fanboy operating system of choice, to becoming one of big business' favorite operating systems. Well, I was right all along, but in 2006, that progress smacked many Linux fans in the face. This is my list of the five most significant changes in Linux this year. They are not changes, however, that many who have embraced Linux in the past will appreciate. Like it or lump it, these are the changes that I also think clearly predict Linux's future in the mainstream."

Right... So everything which is propriatory is garbage, free as in beer rulez, etc. etc... Well, here is some food for thought - not everybody in the world is willing to sit on a cardboard box just because it's free - some actually might prefer a padded chair. Which, BTW, is also free (as in gratis), but comes with a clause asking you not to break it's legs off. I, for one, prefer to sit on a chair - enjoy your cardboard box.

Personally I'm for including nVidia drivers with Ubuntu for example, but I completely understand the argument that accepting binary-only code into distributions reduces pressure on vendors to release open source code (which more and more are starting to do).

You are correct, but proprietary software does have several areas of failing imho, that Free Software betters it in. For most users, they care not for 'freedom', they just want to use it, and they'll pay money to do so.

Yea, but there are many operating systems out there for you if you care to.

What differentiates linux is that the operating system and it's programs are products of - not commodities for - the community. What part of the userbase does not understand that this was entirely developed by their fellow man? Using propriatory software endangers the philosophy on which linux is based.

Propriatory software may run better, right now, on some computers; but without access to the source what are you going to do if say.. you switch to a different architecture? If it doesn't compile right away? Or if you'd like to do something the original authors didn't invision? It may be a short-term benefit, but it's a lock-in. You're at the whim of whomever wrote the binary; if they decide to drop support or charge $, well it's not free then or it probably won't work. Using propriatory software endangers the future stability, flexibility and cross-platform compatibility for which linux currently excels.

If you want the advantages of Linux with propriatory software, there is the ever so pretty MacOS. Video card drivers and (are there any closed-source-and-free-software-programs out there?) their ilk do not do any of us any favours by shipping semi-crippled drivers instead of the source/spec's.